After watching
the house next door slowly deteriorate over several years, I was able to buy
the shack. To the great appreciation of the neighborhood, I had the eyesore
removed and in its place I built this Craftsman influenced home. I provided my
architects with some floor plan ideas and a few photos of houses I liked and
they provided me with the completed design and permit drawings.
I did much of the work myself with help from friends and occasionally an
employee. I used sub-contractors that I had worked with on many projects to
keep things moving. When a bank provides construction financing, they want to
see progress.
Because the house sits on a lot that slopes away from the street and has an
access driveway along side that leads to two houses behind, I was able to build
a three car garage under what you see from the street. This eliminates what I
find to be one of the least attractive elements in most modern home
construction...the street facing garage.
On the top floor there is a large master suite plus two larger than normal
"kids" bedrooms. The kids share a bathroom and there is also a laundry room
upstairs (where the dirty clothes are). The main floor has a living room,
dinning room, and family room that is open to the kitchen. There is also a
fourth bedroom that I use as my office, and another full bathroom.
The basement has the garage, a small mechanical room, a large room that I built
to be my shop (which turned into a game room for loud video game playing boys)
and yet another full bathroom.
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